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Just off of the coast of Portland is Casco Bay, a lively seaport delivering fresh seafood to the shops that line Portland's coast. If you're interested in sampling fresh, local Maine cuisine and getting a tour of the Casco Bay by boat, a number of cruise companies have dinner cruises or allow you to book a boat for a private dinner cruise of your own design.

Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours

Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours offers its ship, the Bay View Lady, for evening dinner cruises featuring private lobster bakes. The traditional lobster bake comes with a salad, clam chowder, corn on the cob, coleslaw, rolls and blueberry cake, all served as you cruise through the Calendar Islands. If you charter the Bay View Lady for your dinner cruise, you can choose a two- or three-hour block for the voyage. Dinner fees are charged on a per-person basis.

Maine Ocean Adventures

On Maine Ocean Adventures' Maine Lobstering cruise, learn how lobster is trapped and hauled in, and at the end of the day, eat what you caught. After your lobstering cruise is over, Maine Ocean Adventures will either create a dockside dinner with your catch, or you can take your fresh crustacean on the company's Sunset Cruise. The nighttime dinner cruise also has cheese plates and wine, and runs during May through October.

Lucky Catch Cruises

On its Jewell Island Adventure cruise, Lucky Catch Cruises takes you to Jewell Island, one of the Calendar Islands in Casco Bay. Leaving in the morning, the ship sails to the island, where you may kayak for two hours, then have a lobster dinner with corn, mussels, salad and dessert on board. The company also has a Maine Lobstering Tour, in which you can haul up traps and learn about the variety of lobsters caught in the Maine waters. After the tour, buy what you caught and have it prepared at the nearby Portland Lobster Company.

Portland Schooner Co.

The Portland Schooner Company operates two wooden sailboats -- windjammers -- out of Portland's Old Port. The company's Sails & Tails cruise allows you to see the Casco Bay sights and visit Cook Island for a lobster bake. Leaving mid-morning, the sailboat takes you to the island, where you'll have a meal, then return to Portland in the afternoon. On its Overnight Windjammer Excursion, which leaves in the afternoon and returns the next morning, the company serves a seafood dinner on board.

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About the Author

Alicia Bones started working as a writer after graduating from college in 2010. Bones graduated with a master's degree in English from the University of Iowa in 2013. Her writing has appeared on Matador Network, USA Today and The Nest Woman.